Rail-joint.



No. 744,968. PAIENTEDNOV. 24, 1903..

J. KUTZNER.

RAIL JOINT.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1903.

H0 MODEL.

. ATES Patented November 24., 1902;.

Enrr @irtrs.

RAIL-JOINT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 744,968, dated November 24, 1903.

Application filed March 10, 1903. Serial No. 147,138. (No model.l

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, J OHN G. KUTZNER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at McKees Rocks, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Rail-Joints, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

The nature of my invention is an improvement in rail-joints, and more particularly in the means for securing the ends thereof to the cross -ties without the employment of fish-plates.

My invention contemplates adevice of this character which shall be of simple and economical construction and wherein the securing means used in conjunction with the tie shall be confined solely to the base of the rail, the webs thereof being solid throughout and so formed that their strength and rigidity will not be impaired.

With the above and other objects in view my invention further resides in the novel combination of parts to be fully referred to here inafter and then set forth in the appended claim.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application,and wherein like parts are designated by similar referencenumerals throughout the several views, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improvement, showing the same in assembled position. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of one of the abutting rails, showing the slotted portion thereof and indicating in dotted lines the extent of the length of the slotted portion. Fig. 3 is a sectional View through the tie, showing the means for uniting the bases of the rail to the tie. Fig. 4 is a like view taken in a plane transverse to Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is an end view of one of the rail-sections, showing the upper member after it has been rolled into the preferred shape, or the same may be formed of pressed steel. Fig. 6 isa like view showing the upper member shaped into its normal condition, and Fig. 7 is an end view of the lower member of the rail-section.

In the drawings, 1 designates the base of the lower member, which is formed throughout its length on its side edges with upwardly-extending flanges 2, as seen in Fig. 1

of the drawings, there being two of these lower members,whoseinner ends are in abutting engagement with each other. The base l'is formed with an upwardly-extending flange 3,1ocated centrally thereof and extending the entire length, as will be noted. The means for securing the lower members in their relative positions consist of an upper member 4, which is provided with the usual head 5 to conform to the tread of the rail, this upper member, as will be seen from Fig. 5 of the drawings, during the rolling operation thereof being formed with outwardlyextendiug portions 6, joined to the lower edges of the head 5, the latter being formed with slits 7, which permit of the member 6 being bent inwardly, as shown in Fig. 6, to engage the downwardly-extending central portion 8, formed on the lower side of the head 5, this central member 8 being formed with a depression 9 on its lower face for a purpose hereinafter obvious.

Fig. 6 of the drawings illustrates the form into which the upper member is shaped and wherein it will be perceived that the side members 6 are bent downwardly and are slightly flared attheir lower portions, and at the termination thereof being extended outwardly, as shown at 10, to form bases for the upper member, the side edges of these bases when the upper member is properly positioned being engaged by the side flanges 2.

The upper member receives the flanges 3 and has its base portion formed with apertures 11, registering with apertures formed in the bases of the lower members. The means for securing the two members together comprise U shaped members 12, which embrace the ties 13 and which extend up through the apertured bases of the two members and are provided with threaded portions to receive nuts 14, which bear against the bases 10, and thereby serve to secure the two members in their respective positions.

The rail-sections are formed with slotted portions at their end, which permit of their receiving the upwardly-extending flanges 3, the rail-section being solid with the exception of these end portions, and are also formed in their bases with apertures 15, which register with apertures 16, formed in the bases of the lower members above referred to.

ject beyond the ends of the latter, at which time the slotted ends of the rail-sections may be slid into their respective position, and the securing means then applied, it being obvious that spikesmight be employed in lieu of the securing means shown.

By virtue of there being two members to the base of the lower member (designated at 1) it is possible to remove either of the rails (it being understood that one is arranged on either side of the upper member 4) without disturbing the other. Thus it is possible to permit one of the rails, together with its member of the lower member 1 remaining undisturbed, while the other rail with its member of the lower member 1 may be removed.

It will be noted that the U-shaped bolts are of such size as to straddle the ties, and the spaces intervening between the apertures to receive these bolts are of the same length as the width of the tie.

The above illustrates a practical embodiment of the invention, though I reserve the right to vary and alter the construction employed in so far as it is by modification capable of falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having thus fully described my invention, 35 what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Ina device of the type set forth, a lower member formed-of two members each comprising a base and a central upwardly-extending flange formed integral therewith, an upper member fitting over the abutting ends of said lower members and comprising a tread, said tread being formed on its lower face with a depression in which is received said flanges, and flanges carried by said tread and extending on opposite sides of the lower members, said flanges being bent inwardly to embrace the flanges carried by the said members, and being extended outwardly to form base portions engaging the bases of said lower members, said bases of the lower members and the bases of the flanges having registering apertures to receive securing means, the ends of the rails being slotted for a length sufiicient to receive the portions of said flanges extending beyond said upper member, and having their bases formed with apertu res, which register with apertures formed in the bases of the lower member, and securing means passing through said registering apertures.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN G. KUTZNER.

Witnesses:

H. O. EVERT, R. A. RULoo. 

